DC Comics' Black Canary - Theorycrafting

[Randyman]

Odd idea here...

Instead of modeling her Canary Cry (sonic attack) as a Power, what about modeling it based on the Kiai skill? Recent incarnations of the character would warrant Trained by a Master; earlier incarnations could have the Unusual Training perk, though a cinematic/four-color setting should allow cinematic use of the skill.

What else would be useful for building her ability using Kiai?

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by Randyman

Odd idea here...

Instead of modeling her Canary Cry (sonic attack) as a Power, what about modeling it based on the Kiai skill? Recent incarnations of the character would warrant Trained by a Master; earlier incarnations could have the Unusual Training perk, though a cinematic/four-color setting should allow cinematic use of the skill.

What else would be useful for building her ability using Kiai?

I don't know that there's anything that will allow Kiai to do direct damage to living things, let alone to inanimate objects, as opposed to being a stunning effect against living opponents. So, if this is how her Canary Cry works in your writeup, it simply won't do a lot of what it does in the comics.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by vitruvian

I don't know that there's anything that will allow Kiai to do direct damage to living things, let alone to inanimate objects, as opposed to being a stunning effect against living opponents. So, if this is how here Canary Cry works in your writeup, it simply won't do a lot of what it does in the comics.

I agree. Though you could also add Project Blow with a special effect she yells rather then punches.

[Miles]

Originally Posted by Refplace

I agree. Though you could also add Project Blow with a special effect she yells rather then punches.

Misses the crucial AoE ability of a sonic attack.

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Miles

Misses the crucial AoE ability of a sonic attack.

You could try addin Whilrlwind attack then.
I would build her with Powers myself but offering the Op some ideas to get what he wants.

[vitruvian]

Originally Posted by Miles

Misses the crucial AoE ability of a sonic attack.

Could maybe do something with Imbuements (again, combined with Project Blow), but it starts to get really convoluted, require multiple rolls, etc., when it seems like something much more easily handled with an Innate Attack.

Which really should be fine, even if you're defining the ability as the result of martial arts training (like the landlady in Kung Fu Hustle, perhaps)... I'd probably use abilities and powers based on Innate Attack and other advantages for many of the special attacks in Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Naruto, etc., as well.

[Randyman]

I suspected that a sufficient build using Kiai as a starting point would be overly complex. I did find Mega-Kiai in Martial Arts which is explicitly built as an Innate Attack rather than using the Kiai skill as a base, which supports all that has been contributed here.

Thanks for the input!

[aesir23]

Well, remember that the original Black Canary didn't even have the canary cry. She just used Judo to fight crime. So you'd be perfectly justified in putting your version in any middle ground between No Canary Cry and Bring Down Buildings and Outshout Silver Banshee Canary Cry.

Originally Posted by Refplace

I agree. Though you could also add Project Blow with a special effect she yells rather then punches.

Originally Posted by Miles

Misses the crucial AoE ability of a sonic attack.

You could easily use the Combination Skills option to give her Project Blow and Conic Blast as a single Imbuement skill. Project Conic Blast. Possibly even Project Conic Forceful Blast (costs 3 FP per use, but is pretty close to some of the weaker versions of the Canary Cry).